Dane County Chapter

Our chapter holds activities throughout the year. We maintain the Trail and surrounding landscapes, offer trail building outings and host hikes and interpretive walks.

Help Maintain a Section of the Ice Age Trail

Like the other National Scenic Trails, the Ice Age Trail is built and maintained by volunteers. We can use your help – for a morning, a few days a year, or on a more regular basis. Help at various locations or keep an eye on one or two particular miles of Trail. Cutting back berry canes is an ongoing need from May through October.

If you want to try out volunteering, see the online event calendar for our events and work day schedule. You can “Narrow Your Results” from the online calendar left-side menu (Event Category – Select – Dane County Chapter, then Submit), if you prefer. We have several activities on most weekends. You can also contact our chapter coordinator to discuss other volunteer options.

During the months of March and April, fewer activities are scheduled because this is burn season for the chapter’s many acres of prairies. A place to learn about training for this work is the Wisconsin Prescribed Fire Council. The class volunteers should take is S130-S190, Basic Wildland Firefighter and Prescribed Fire Training. In 2019, this training was offered on March 15. Training is not needed for burns on Dane County Parks land.

Dane Drifter Hiking Award Program

Do you want to hike all of the Ice Age Trail in Dane County? Sign up to become a Dane Drifter! As a reward for completing all the county’s segments, you’ll receive a patch and recognition for your achievement. You can take as much time as you’d like to finish and enjoy the intrinsic rewards along the way.

Complete the registration form [PDF] and send in the small fee. The form includes additional details, as well as a log for recording your progress. You can contact Gary or Kristi at [email protected] for more information.

Ice Age Drift Newsletter

Check out the current issue of our chapter newsletter, the Ice Age Drift. Winter 2019 [PDF]

Thousand-Miler WannaBes & Hikers’ Helpers

For those hiking through Dane and Green counties, contact Tess Mulrooney at [email protected] for “Trail Angel” assistance. Tess can also connect you with new hiking pals who are exploring the entire Ice Age Trail year-round, piecing together the dashed line one segment at a time.